"The Kids Are Alright" (The Who)

This original painting by Xany Rudoff is made of 24 Sterling Silver Leaf, Water Color, Caran d'Ache Pencils and Found Objects. "The Kids Are Alright" is a portrait of The Who's iconic album of the same name with the band wrapped together underneath a Union Jack Flag. Xany Rudoff has taken this piece of and rock and roll history and given it a modern day twist: She "iconicizes" the familiar by using the traditional.

Every piece Xany Rudoff creates, she uses the ancient technique of "gilding", a process that was used primarily by the Renaissance and Byzantine Artists of the 15th Century in Religious "Icon" Paintings commisioned by churches and kings. Gilding is the process of adhereing tissue thin pieces of real gold (or silver) called "leafs" to a surface and is considered to be one of the most difficult and time consuming techniques to master. Each leaf of gold must be handled with extreme delicacy, as it will literally disintegrates upon contact if handled incorrectly. Using the utmost care, proper precaution, and precison, the artist handles the gold and adheres it permanently to the prepared surface and then goes through a multitude of processes to burnish, antique, and seal the gold forever.

The art of gilding is considered to be a "lost art" that requires superior craftsmanship and precision, and it is an art form that is so specialized, it is usually passed down from family through family, from one generation to the next, using the very same techniques and "recipes" that have been used since the 15th Century.

Today, there are very few living artists and gilders left in the world and Xany Rudoff has taken it upon herself to learn, train, and master this lost art so it can continue to thrive and not become extinct. She uses the exact same formulas,processes,and techniques that all the great artists of the Renaissance and Byzantine era used back in the 15th Century to achieve artwork with nearly identical results and craftsmanship. Each of Xany's paintings are made using only the finest and highest quality of materials, therefore creating artwork of such pristine quality that it will withhold the test of time.

Each piece she creates is hand gilded using either 12 or 18 Carat White Gold, 22 or 24 Carat Gold, Sterling Silver, or Copper Leaf that is carefully and meticulously applied by hand, then hand- burnished to give it a gleaming shine, followed by many hours of careful glazing and antiquing, using either watercolor, acrylic, or oil paint as a medium, and finally, lacquered. Using only the finest and highest quality of materials available, Xany also works closely with genuine Swarovski Crystals that she often uses in her work to accentuate and highlight certain pieces.

Each of Xany's original pieces require many hours of extreme precision and concentration by the artist, as gilding is a very delicate and precise medium that leaves no room for mistakes. Each piece is one of a kind- no two pieces will ever look "exactly" alike as there are too many variables at play to be able to replicate the original painting precisely as each piece is hand gilded and painted by Xany herself.

Xany Rudoff's art is collected by a variety of well known musicians and celebrities, including such notable collector's such as Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, David Lynch, Whoppie Goldberg, Pink (Alecia Moore), Snow Patrol, QOTSA, The Libertines, Kevin McNally, Creation Records Founder Alan McGee,iconic designer Peter Saville, and many others. Xany and her artwork has also been featured in many magazines and newspapers including; The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The LA Weekly, Los Angeles Magazine, NME Magazine, The "Cock No.7" London Art Journal, and many other publications throughout the years.

Xany has also devoted many hours throughout the years to working with charities, most recently participating in the John Varvato's "Stuart House" Benefit for the Rape Foundation of Los Angeles, which helps children who are victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, where her donated painting of "Keith Richards", was sold and helped be a part of raising more than $1.1 Million Dollars for Stuart House on April 13th, 2014. She has also worked extensively with the Los Angeles Children's Hospital, The MusicCares Foundation, The David Lynch Foundation,The Bill Graham Foundation, and many other charities donating her work to help those less fortunate, as she herself has faced many hardships as well throughout her life.

Xany Rudoff is represented by Drate/Salavetz in New York City.

To see more of Xany Rudoff's work and learn more about her unique artwork, process and life, and to inquire about personal commissions or shows, please visit her website at: www.xanyart.com.